Honors Institute graduates receive medallions

Submitted by jbraswell on May 4, 2016

POPLARVILLE – Pearl River Community College awarded medals Tuesday, May 3, to graduating honors students.
The Honors Institute Medallion Ceremony recognized the success of the students who completed a minimum of 21 hours of Honors coursework and maintained a cumulative 3.4 grade point average.
“I’ve furthered myself academically in ways I’d never have imagined,” said Samuel Bond of Lumberton. “There are all kinds of opportunities to be gained from this institute.”
PRCC established the Honors Institute four years ago in temporary quarters. It is now located on the renovated second floor of White Hall on the Poplarville campus with facilities on the Forrest County Center as well.
“Our initial vision has been realized and has evolved into much more,” said Dr. Terri Ruckel, Forrest County Center Honors coordinator. “The honors education at Pearl River Community College provides an experience that changes students’ lives.”
Two of the Honors Institute graduates – Tyler Abney of Purvis and Victoria Valliant of Carriere – are semi-finalists for prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Transfer Scholarships. The scholarships for graduates of two-year colleges are similar to the Rhodes or Fulbright scholarships for four-year graduates. Only 85 are awarded annually.
PRCC honors graduates are automatically admitted to honors programs at the state’s four-year universities.
“Pearl River Community College made me feel like home and gave me a lot of opportunities I would never have had,” said Natalie McCormick of Picayune. She will transfer to Mississippi State University.
The 2016 Honors Institute graduates:
•Tyler Abney of Purvis was named to the PTK All-Mississippi Academic Second Team and is a semi-finalist for a Jack Kent Cooke scholarship. He plans to transfer to the University of Mississippi and then attend law school.
•Leah Balli of Carriere plans to transfer to the University of Southern Mississippi and major in business.
•Samuel Bond of Lumberton will attend Mississippi State University to major in biochemistry.
•Jared Bowman of Picayune plans to major in polymer science at USM.
•Joseph “Seth” Bowman of Poplarville plans to transfer to MSU to study civil engineering.
•Thomas Catlett of Hattiesburg will major in English at William Carey University.
•Brianna Dillon of Oak Grove plans to transfer to the MSU vet-tech program.
•John Graves of Bassfield will study polymer science at USM.
•Stanford Joseph Gwin of Purvis plans to study engineering at MSU or the University of Utah.
•Brandon “Cayne” Landrum of Picayune will study aerospace engineering at MSU.
•Natalie McCormick of Picayune plans to transfer to MSU to major in animal and dairy sciences with a concentration in veterinary medicine.
•Ross Savoie of Picayune will major in mechanical engineering at MSU.
•Jocelyne Brown Sims of Hattiesburg plans to transfer to USM to major in journalism.
•Evan Thornton of Collins plans to major in English at William Carey University.
•Victoria Valliant of Carriere was named to the PTK All-Mississippi Academic First Team and is a Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship semi-finalist. She plans to transfer to Louisiana State University to major in psychology and English.


Honors Institute graduates at Pearl River Community College received medallions Tuesday, May 3. They are, seated from left, Stanford Joseph Gwin of Purvis, Brandon “Cayne” Landrum, Natalie McCormick and Ross Savoie, all of Picayune; Evan Thornton of Collins, Victoria Valliant of Carriere; standing, Tyler Abney of Purvis, Leah Balli of Carriere, Samuel Bond of Lumberton, Jared Bowman of Picayune, Joseph “Seth” Bowman of Poplarville, Jocelyne Brown Sims of Hattiesburg, Brianna Dillon of Oak Grove and John Graves of Bassfield. Not pictured is Thomas Catlett of Hattiesburg.
PRCC Public Relations photo

Honors Institute graduate John Graves of Bassfield accepts congratulations from Pearl River Community College president Dr. William Lewis at the May 3 Medallion Ceremony.
PRCC Public Relations photo

Pearl River Community College president Dr. William Lewis presents the Honors Institute Medallion to Joseph “Seth” Bowman of Poplarville during a ceremony on May 3.
PRCC Public Relations photo

Dr. William Lewis, president of Pearl River Community College, congratulates Brianna Dillon of Oak Grove after presenting her with the Honors Institute Medallion on May 3.
PRCC Public Relations photo

Each community college president is asked to bring two (2) wrapped door prizes, minimum value of $50 each. We will have a station set up at the conference for you to drop off the door prizes.

Each community college is asked to provide name tags for their Board members, administration, and staff attending the conference.